Algorithm for automated enterprise deployments

ABSTRACT

A method of automating the deployment of a number of enterprise applications on one or more computer data processing systems. Each enterprise application or update is stored in a dynamic distribution directory and is provided with identifying indicia, such as stage information, target information, and settings information. When automated enterprise deployment is invoked, computer instructions in a computer readable medium provide for initializing deployment, performing deployment, and finalizing deployment of the enterprise applications or updates.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention is related to the following application entitledAlgorithm for Maximizing Application Availability During AutomatedEnterprise Deployments, Ser. No. 11/003,593, filed on Dec. 3, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention is related generally to a data processing systemand in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Stillmore particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus,and computer program product for maximizing application availabilitywhile automatically deploying enterprise applications or updates incomplex data processing environments.

2. Description of Related Art

Modern data processing environments can be extremely complex. A dataprocessing environment may have a vast number of data processing systemsconnected to each other in a web of physical groupings known as nodesand logical groupings known as clusters. A node is a control mechanismfor one or more servers on a machine. A cluster logically deals withmultiple similar servers on different machines. Clusters can coexistwith other non-cluster servers on a machine and may contain all of thesame applications.

Due to the nature of the organization of inter-dependent applicationsthroughout the set of data processing systems, affecting one dataprocessing system in a node or cluster may affect other applications onother data processing systems in the data processing environment. If atleast one copy of each application does not remain running somewhere inthe data processing environment, then service may be denied and anavailability failure may occur. Moreover, one running copy of everyapplication may not be sufficient to maintain service. Multiple runningcopies of software may be required to achieve acceptable throughput andresponse service levels.

The complexity of modern data processing environments makes deployingnew enterprise applications (EARs), or other applications, onto dataprocessing systems difficult. The problem is especially complex ifupdated enterprise applications are deployed. If even one dataprocessing system requires an enterprise application update to bedeployed, then many other data processing systems can be affected.

Automated programs for deploying enterprise applications that areavailable today require voluminous code. Such programs are hard-coded toparticular sets of enterprise applications and particular environments.Such unique code is not transferable to other organizations, is notsupportable, and is not flexible enough to adapt to new applications ornew environments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer programproduct for automating the deployment of a number of enterpriseapplications or enterprise application updates on one or more computerdata processing systems operating in a data processing environment. Eachenterprise application is stored in a dynamic distribution directory andis provided with identifying indicia, such as stage information, targetinformation, and settings information. When automated enterprisedeployment is invoked, computer instructions in a computer readablemedium provide for initializing, performing, and finalizing deploymentof the enterprise applications. During initialization, the stage,target, and settings information of each enterprise application in thedynamic distribution directory are read. A number of enterpriseapplications are selected to be deployed on target data processingsystems. The targeted data processing systems and selected enterpriseapplications are pre-validated before deployment. During deployment, theenterprise applications are deployed to the target data processingsystems. During the finalization of deployment, the deployment of eachenterprise application is validated. Upon successful deployment,deployed enterprise applications are moved from a distribution directoryinto a released directory for audit purposes or for future rollback andrecovery use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a network data processing systemin which the present invention may be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data processing system that may beimplemented as a server in accordance with an aspect of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in whichthe present invention may be implemented.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an environment in which thepresent invention may be implemented.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the automatic deployment ofenterprise applications in the operating environment of FIG. 4, inaccordance with an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of a dynamicdistribution directory of enterprise applications, in accordance with anaspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of an enterpriseapplication, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7A shows an example of target information for use with a computerprogram, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7B shows an example of settings information for use with a computerprogram, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the steps taken during the initializedeployment step of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating steps taken during the performdeployment step of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the steps taken during the finalizedeployment step of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 11A through 11F show an example of the output logs for computerinstructions for performing the method illustrated in FIG. 5, inaccordance with an aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present inventionmay be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product.Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects all generally referred to hereinas a “circuit” or “module.” Furthermore, the present invention may takethe form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storagemedium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.

Any suitable computer readable medium may be utilized. Thecomputer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but notlimited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Morespecific examples (a nonexhaustive list) of the computer-readable mediumwould include the following: an electrical connection having one or morewires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory(RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compactdisc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, atransmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet,or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable orcomputer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable mediumupon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronicallycaptured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or othermedium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitablemanner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In thecontext of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable mediummay be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, ortransport the program for use by or in connection with the instructionexecution system, apparatus, or device.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentinvention may be written in an object oriented programming language suchas Java7, Smalltalk or C++. However, the computer program code forcarrying out operations of the present invention may also be written inconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, theremote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a localarea network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection maybe made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet usingan Internet Service Provider).

The present invention is described below with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) andcomputer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Itwill be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions. These computer program instructions may beprovided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce amachine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor ofthe computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, createmeans for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchartand/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

With reference now to the figures and in particular with reference toFIG. 1, a pictorial representation of a network data processing systemin which the present invention may be implemented is depicted. Networkdata processing system 100 is a network of computers in which thepresent invention may be implemented. Network data processing system 100contains a network 102, which is the medium used to providecommunications links between various devices and computers connectedtogether within network data processing system 100. Network 102 mayinclude connections, such as wire, wireless communication links, orfiber optic cables.

In the depicted example, server 104 is connected to network 102 alongwith storage unit 106. In addition, clients 108, 110, and 112 areconnected to network 102. These clients 108, 110, and 112 may be, forexample, personal computers or network computers. In the depictedexample, server 104 provides data, such as boot files, running systemimages, and programs to clients 108-112. Clients 108, 110, and 112 areclients to server 104. Network data processing system 100 may includeadditional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. In thedepicted example, network data processing system 100 is the Internetwith network 102 representing a worldwide collection of networks andgateways that use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) suite of protocols to communicate with one another. At theheart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communicationlines between major nodes or host computers, consisting of thousands ofcommercial, government, educational and other computer systems thatroute data and messages. Of course, network data processing system 100also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks, suchas for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide areanetwork (WAN). FIG. 1 is intended as an example, and not as anarchitectural limitation for the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data processing system that may beimplemented as a server, such as server 104 of FIG. 1, in accordancewith an aspect of the present invention. Data processing system 200 maybe a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including a number ofprocessors 202 and 204 connected to system bus 206. Alternatively, asingle processor system may be employed. Also connected to system bus206 is memory controller/cache 208, which provides an interface to localmemory 209. I/O Bus Bridge 210 is connected to system bus 206 andprovides an interface to I/O bus 212. Memory controller/cache 208 andI/O Bus Bridge 210 may be integrated as depicted.

Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 214 connected to I/Obus 212 provides an interface to PCI local bus 216. A number of modemsmay be connected to PCI local bus 216. Typical PCI bus implementationswill support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors.Communications links to clients 108-112 in FIG. 1 may be providedthrough modem 218 and network adapter 220 connected to PCI local bus 216through add-in connectors.

Additional PCI bus bridges 222 and 224 provide interfaces for additionalPCI local buses 226 and 228, from which additional modems or networkadapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system 200allows connections to multiple network computers. A memory-mappedgraphics adapter 230 and hard disk 232 may also be connected to I/O bus212 as depicted, either directly or indirectly.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardwaredepicted in FIG. 2 may vary. For example, other peripheral devices, suchas optical disk drives and the like, also may be used in addition to orin place of the hardware depicted. The depicted example is not meant toimply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention.

The data processing system depicted in FIG. 2 may be, for example, anIBM® eServer™ pSeries® computer system, running the Advanced InteractiveExecutive (AIX®)) operating system or LINUX operating system (IBM,eServer, pSeries and AIX are trademarks of International BusinessMachines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or bothwhile Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, othercountries, or both).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in whichthe present invention may be implemented. Data processing system 300 isan example of a client computer. Data processing system 300 employs aperipheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Althoughthe depicted example employs a PCI bus, other bus architectures such asAccelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)may be used. Processor 302 and main memory 304 are connected to PCIlocal bus 306 through PCI Bridge 308. PCI Bridge 308 also may include anintegrated memory controller and cache memory for processor 302.Additional connections to PCI local bus 306 may be made through directcomponent interconnection or through add-in boards. In the depictedexample, local area network (LAN) adapter 310, small computer systeminterface (SCSI) host bus adapter 312, and expansion bus interface 314are connected to PCI local bus 306 by direct component connection. Incontrast, audio adapter 316, graphics adapter 318, and audio/videoadapter 319 are connected to PCI local bus 306 by add-in boards insertedinto expansion slots. Expansion bus interface 314 provides a connectionfor a keyboard and mouse adapter 320, modem 322, and additional memory324. SCSI host bus adapter 312 provides a connection for hard disk drive326, tape drive 328, and CD-ROM drive 330. Typical PCI local busimplementations will support three or four PCI expansion slots or add-inconnectors.

An operating system runs on processor 302 and is used to coordinate andprovide control of various components within data processing system 300in FIG. 3. The operating system may be a commercially availableoperating system, such as Microsoft® Windows® XP (Microsoft and Windowsare trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, othercountries, or both). An object oriented programming system such as Java™may run in conjunction with the operating system and provide calls tothe operating system from Java programs or programs executing on dataprocessing system 300 (Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. inthe United States, other countries, or both). Instructions for theoperating system, the object-oriented programming system, and programsor programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive 326,and may be loaded into main memory 304 for execution by processor 302.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware inFIG. 3 may vary depending on the implementation. Other internal hardwareor peripheral devices, such as flash read-only memory (ROM), equivalentnonvolatile memory, or optical disk drives and the like, may be used inaddition to or in place of the hardware depicted in FIG. 3. In addition,the processes of the present invention may be applied to amultiprocessor data processing system.

As another example, data processing system 300 may be a stand-alonesystem configured to be bootable without relying on some type of networkcommunication interfaces As a further example, data processing system300 may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, which isconfigured with ROM and/or flash ROM in order to provide non-volatilememory for storing operating system files and/or user-generated data.

The depicted example in FIG. 3 and above-described examples are notmeant to imply architectural limitations. For example, data processingsystem 300 also may be a notebook computer or hand held computer inaddition to taking the form of a PDA. Data processing system 300 alsomay be a kiosk or a Web appliance.

In a complex data processing environment, many data processing systemsare arranged into nodes and clusters, and each data processing systemsupports or runs a number of applications. These applications, and inparticular enterprise applications, are installed and updated on thedata processing systems and their application server programmingsystems. However, when an application is installed or updated, thatapplication is not available for service unless that application is alsoreplicated and running on other data processing systems. If oneapplication is not available for service, then often otherinter-dependent applications may also fail to provide service. It isvery inefficient to disable many or all data processing systems todeploy applications or application updates. However, it is verydifficult to update individual data processing systems without disablingmany data processing systems in the environment, due to the complexityof the operating environment and due to inter-dependencies between allthe enterprise applications.

The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer programproduct for automating the deployment of a number of enterpriseapplications or updates on one or more computer data processing systemsin a data processing environment. In the illustrative examples,deploying an enterprise application means taking steps such as, forexample, installing the enterprise application, updating an existingenterprise application, reconfiguring an existing enterpriseapplication, or deleting an existing enterprise application. Eachenterprise application is stored in a dynamic distribution directory andis provided with identifying indicia, such as stage information, targetinformation, and settings information. When an automated enterprisedeployment is invoked, computer instructions in a computer readablemedium provide for initializing, performing, and finalizing deploymentof the enterprise applications.

During initialization, a number of enterprise applications or updatesare selected to be deployed on target data processing systems. Next, thestage, target, and settings information of each selected enterpriseapplication are read. Thereafter, the targeted data processing systemsare pre-validated for enterprise application deployment, and then theselected enterprise applications or updates are read and are installedinto a distribution repository and have their configuration settings andtargets set. During deployment, the enterprise applications are deployedto the target data processing systems. During the finalization ofdeployment, the deployment of each enterprise application is validated.Upon successful deployment, deployed enterprise applications are movedfrom the distribution directory into a released directory for auditpurposes or for future rollback and recovery use. While the presentinvention is useful during the initial deployment of enterpriseapplication, it is especially useful during the ongoing and highlyrepeated deployment of enterprise application updates.

FIG. 4 shows an illustrative environment wherein a deployment system 400installs and maintains applications on five data processing systems,402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 connected via a network, such as an intranetor the Internet. Each data processing system may be a build anddeployment server on a server such as server 104 of FIG. 1, a clientcomputer, such as clients 108, 110, and 112, or a stand-alone computer.Typically, the data processing environment is a collection of serversthat do not use the server-client structure. The deployment system 400need not be a separate data processing system, but may be one of theaffected data processing systems, 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410. Thedeployment system may also be computer instructions contained in acomputer readable medium for carrying out the deployment of enterpriseapplications. In addition, multiple deployment systems may beimplemented.

In any case, each data processing system executes a number ofapplications. Data processing system 1 402 executes application C 416.Data processing system 2 404 executes application A 412 and applicationB 414. Data processing system 3 406 is a redundant logical clustermember on a different physical node which also executes applications A412 and application B 414. Data processing system 4 executes redundantapplication C 416. Data processing system 4 is similar to dataprocessing system 1, but these two systems have not been logicallygrouped together as a cluster. Data processing system 410 executesnon-redundant application D 418. Data processing systems 402 and 404 arephysically grouped into Node A 420. Data processing systems 406, 408,and 410 are physically grouped into Node B 422. Data processing systems404 and 406 are logically grouped into cluster 424.

FIG. 4 shows four applications executed on five data processing systemsphysically grouped into two nodes. Two data processing systems arelogically grouped into one cluster. However, actual data processingenvironments may contain hundreds or even thousands of data processingsystems executing a vast array of applications. Similarly, the dataprocessing systems may be grouped into a great number of nodes andclusters.

FIG. 4 illustrates that one application may be executed on dataprocessing systems grouped in different nodes and clusters. For example,application A 412 runs on data processing systems 404, and 406, acrossnode A 420 and node B 422, and within cluster 424. Because of thecomplexity of this arrangement, if an update to application A is to besimultaneously deployed to data processing systems 404 and 406, then allfive data processing systems, 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 may beaffected if applications C 416 or D 418 depend on the affectedapplication A 412.

In another example, if application A 412 is affected and first updatedonly on data processing system 404, then in order to quiesce work toapplication A 412 the entire data processing system 404 must be stoppedprior to its application update. Thus, application B 414 will also beunavailable in data processing system 404, even if that application B414 is not directly dependent on application A 412. Maintaining completeredundant copies of all applications within different clusters membershelps to avoid such associated application failures. However, in manydata processing environments, clusters might not be used or there may beone or more unique applications in certain cluster members. In addition,many enterprise systems may have a combination of non-clusteredapplications spread over different sets of nodes and servers due to anumber of reasons, including security, corporate organization, orgeographic location.

The problem can become exponentially more serious and difficult to solvein actual data processing environments. The problem becomes still morecomplex if applications are updated or maintained on a regular basis,especially if the applications are maintained on a daily basis, andespecially if large arbitrary subsets of the applications are updatedeach time.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the automatic deployment ofenterprise applications or updates in the operating environment of FIG.4, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. Although theprocess of deploying enterprise applications or updates is described inthe context of deploying enterprise applications, the process may beused to deploy any application in a data processing environment.Furthermore, the term enterprise application may refer to bothenterprise applications and updates for enterprise applications.

The process begins with a command to invoke the deployment of enterpriseapplications (step 500). The command to invoke deployment may come frominput provided by a user, in which case the invocation is a manualinvocation. The command to invoke deployment may come from inputprovided by an automatic process such as another computer program, inwhich case the invocation is an automatic invocation. In an illustrativeembodiment, automatic invocation is performed on a regular basis, suchas daily or weekly time periods. In this case, a program automaticallyinvokes the deployment of enterprise applications once during each timeperiod. However, a program may automatically invoke the deployment ofenterprise applications based on other conditions, such as the failureof one or more applications, the failure of one or more data processingsystems in the environment, the availability of new or updatedapplications, and the like.

Next, the deployment system, such as deployment system 400 of FIG. 4,initializes a set of enterprise applications to be deployed onto a setof data processing systems (step 502). During initialization, a subsetof enterprise applications may be selected, based on their last updatedtime, identifying indicia, or other indicia, from the set of enterpriseapplications in the dynamic distribution directory. The deploymentsystem then pre-validates the deployment of the subset of enterpriseapplications to ensure that the deployment of the subset of enterpriseapplications has an acceptable chance to succeed.

Next, a deployment system, such as deployment system 400 of FIG. 4,actually deploys the subset of enterprise applications or updates to thedata processing systems, such as data processing systems 402, 404, 406,408, and 410 of FIG. 4 (step 504). In an illustrative example, only aminimum number of data processing systems are deactivated whileperforming needed updates. An algorithm for deploying enterpriseapplications is shown in an application entitled, “Algorithm forMaximizing Application Availability During Automated EnterpriseDeployments,” U.S. application Ser. No. 11/003,593, filed Dec. 3, 2004,which is hereby incorporated by reference. Deploying an enterpriseapplication may involve installing a new enterprise application,updating a previous version of an installed enterprise application,reconfiguring or otherwise maintaining a previously installed enterpriseapplication, or otherwise maintaining a previously installed enterpriseapplication, or uninstalling a previously installed enterpriseapplication.

After deploying the subset of enterprise applications to the dataprocessing systems, the deployment system validates the deployment (step506). The deployment of each enterprise application is verified. If thedeployment was successful, then that application is moved from thedistribution directory into the released directory. The application isalso versioned with the current date and time. If the deployment was notsuccessful, then that application is moved from the distributiondirectory into the failed directory.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of dynamicdistribution directory 600 of enterprise applications, such asenterprise applications 602, 604, and 606, in accordance with an aspectof the present invention. In order to perform an automatic update ofenterprise applications, a deployment system, such as deployment system400 in FIG. 4, identifies which enterprise applications are to bedeployed. The deployment system identifies upon which data processingsystems an enterprise application needs to be deployed. FIG. 6 and FIG.7 show the architecture used to perform these functions in theillustrative examples.

All enterprise applications or updates, such as enterprise applications602, 604, and 606, are grouped into a single dynamic distributiondirectory 600. Although FIG. 6 shows three enterprise applications orupdates, the dynamic distribution directory may contain a vast pluralityof enterprise applications or updates. The dynamic distributiondirectory is dynamic in the sense that different enterprise applicationsor updates are continually added to and removed from the dynamicdistribution directory. In addition, additional dynamic distributiondirectories may be used by the deployment system. For example, onedynamic distribution directory may be provided for new enterpriseapplications and another dynamic distribution directory may be providedfor updates to enterprise applications.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of an enterpriseapplication 700, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.Enterprise application 700 may be any one of enterprise applications602, 604, and 606 from FIG. 6.

An enterprise application is provided with one or more identifyingindicia. In an illustrative embodiment, the identifying indicia arestage information, target information, and settings information.

Other indicia may be provided, such as resource information,configuration information, and prerequisite information. Resourceinformation includes information regarding external resources which mustbe setup for an enterprise application on a targeted data processingsystem. Examples include Java Messaging System queues, JDBC datasources, Java Name and Directory Interface namespaces, security rolemappings, security properties, and the like. Configuration informationincludes information regarding the manipulation of application serverconfigurations. Examples include copying or exporting an existingapplication server, node or cluster; importing an application server,node, or cluster; renaming an application server, node, or cluster;deleting an application server, node or cluster; copying an existingenterprise application, and the like. Prerequisite information includesinformation regarding external programs, and optionally their version orservice level, required for an enterprise application on a targeted dataprocessing system. Examples include an operating system or the versionor service level of an operating system, Java runtime version or servicelevel, specific application server product and its version or servicelevel, specific database product and its version or service level, andthe like. These prerequisites can be verified as a precondition todeployment of an enterprise application. However, the prerequisitestypically are not installed or modified by the deployment system.

In the illustrative examples, an enterprise application is identifiedwith one or more groups of stage information, such as stage informationA 702, or stage information B 704. Each group of stage information isfurther identified with a group of target information and a group ofsettings information. Thus, stage A 702, is identified with targetinformation A 706, and settings information A 708. Similarly, stage B704, is identified with target information B 710, and settingsinformation B 712. However, the types of identifying indicia, stage,target, and setting, may be organized differently. Typically, stageindicia, such as pilot or production, are qualifiers to the other twoindicia. Thus, for example, there may be a target-pilot and atarget-production indicia, and also a settings-pilot and asettings-production indicia.

In these examples, stage information provides overarching informationregarding where or when an enterprise application should be deployed.For example, stage information may specify that an enterpriseapplication should be installed on certain operating systems, should beinstalled at a particular time, should only be deployed in relation toparticular an application version, should be deployed to a particularsubset of data processing systems within the set of data processingsystems, should be deployed to a corporate department owning a subset ofdata processing systems, or should be deployed to a data processingsystems in a physical location. Other types of stage information may beused.

In these examples, target information includes information regardingwhich data processing system to target within a set of data processingsystems. Thus, target information may include information regardingwhich data processing systems, nodes, and clusters should be affectedduring deployment. It also contains information regarding the UniversalResource Locator (URL) web address for the application in those targetedsystems, and their expected response, for use in post-deploymentverification. FIG. 7A shows an example of target information for usewith a computer program, in accordance with an aspect of the presentinvention.

In these examples, settings information includes information regardinghow to configure an enterprise application on a targeted data processingsystem. Settings information may also include external resourcesettings, and application server configuration settings. Settingsinformation may also include prerequisites based on other applicationsor versions of applications. Thus, settings information may depend onother applications or versions of other applications. FIG. 7B shows anexample of settings information for use with a computer program, inaccordance with an aspect of the present invention.

Stage information, target information, and settings information for eachenterprise application may be organized differently. For example, stageinformation may not be used. In other examples, settings information maybe dependent on target information. In addition, stage information,target information, and settings information for each enterpriseapplication may be implemented in any suitable manner, including throughJava property files, XML files, database records, or the like. However,the identifying indicia are organized and implemented, the deploymentsystem is adapted to read the identifying indicia.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the steps taken during the initializedeployment in step 502 of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent invention. After the enterprise deployment has been invoked, thedeployment system reads each enterprise application in the dynamicdistribution directory (step 800) and selects a subset or all enterpriseapplications for deployment to one or more target data processingsystems (step 802). The deployment system selects the subset ofenterprise applications to be deployed based on the identifying indiciain each enterprise application in the dynamic distribution directory.

Next, the deployment system reads the target information for theselected enterprise applications (step 804). The enterprise applicationswill be deployed on each targeted data processing system in the subsetof all enterprise data processing systems. A target data processingsystem may be referred to as an affected data processing system becauseit executes or is intended to execute one or more or the selectedapplications. Executing an application on the data processing systemaffects the data processing system.

After identifying the target data processing systems, the deploymentsystem pre-validates each enterprise application in relation to thetarget data processing systems (step 806). Pre-validating involveschecking to see whether the deployment has an acceptable chance ofsuccess. In the example of FIG. 8, the deployment system determineswhether the target data processing system is valid (step 808). If aparticular target data processing system is not valid, such as when thedata processing system does not exist, is down or fails to meetpredetermined prerequisites, then the enterprise application will not bedeployed and a validation error message can be issued (step 809). Anenterprise application may be pre-validated by a variety of methods,including checking whether a target data processing system exists,validating the contents of the enterprise application, validatingwhether a deployment action, such as install, update, reconfigure, oruninstall may be performed, or whether a set of pre-definedprerequisites have been met.

Next, a determination is made whether all enterprise applications in thedynamic distribution directory have been checked (step 810). If allenterprise applications have been checked, then the process terminatesas no more enterprise applications are to be deployed. If not allenterprise applications have been checked, then the deployment systemreturns to step 802 and selects the next enterprise application todeploy.

In another embodiment, if an enterprise application is to be deployed tomultiple target data processing systems, and only some of the targetdata processing systems are invalid, then the process continues. In thiscase, the invalid target data processing systems are logged and thenignored and the process continues only for the valid target dataprocessing systems.

Returning to step 808, if the target data processing system is valid,then the deployment system reads the settings information of theenterprise application (step 812). The deployment system may use thesettings information to determine how the enterprise application will beconfigured on the target data processing system or systems.

Once the deployment system has read the settings information, thedeployment system pre-validates all affected targets to check whetherdeployment has a chance of success (step 814). If the deployment has nochance of success, such as in the case where an update is to be appliedbut an older version is not installed, then a target data processingsystem is removed from the set of valid target data processing systems.

Next, a determination is made whether all selected enterpriseapplications in the dynamic distribution directory have been checked(step 818). If not, then the process returns to step 802 and enterpriseapplications to be deployed is selected. With reference again to step818, if all enterprise applications in the dynamic distributiondirectory have been checked, then the process continues to deployment ofthe enterprise applications on all valid target data processing systems(step 504 in FIG. 5) upon setting the configuration settings and targets(step 822). At the end of the iterative process shown in FIG. 8, aselected subset of enterprise applications within the set of enterpriseapplications in the dynamic distribution directory is available fordeployment in all valid data processing systems (step 820). The validdata processing systems are a subset of all data processing systems inan enterprise operating environment, where each enterprise applicationis to be deployed on each of its target data processing system in thesubset.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating steps taken during the performdeployment step 504 of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent invention. The process shown in FIG. 9 is described in moredetail in an application entitled, “Algorithm for Maximizing ApplicationAvailability During Automated Enterprise Deployments,” U.S. applicationSer. No. 11/003,593, filed Dec. 3, 2004. In one embodiment, thedeployment system performs a phased deployment according to the processshown in FIG. 9.

In an illustrative example, the deployment system first determines whichdata processing systems are affected by the deployment, as well as whichnodes and clusters are affected by the deployment (step 900). A dataprocessing system is affected if an enterprise application is to bedeployed to the data processing system. A node is affected if one of thedata processing systems in the node is affected. A cluster is affectedif one of the data processing systems in the cluster is affected. Forexample, in the environment shown in FIG. 4, if application D 418 is tobe deployed, then data processing system 410 is an affected dataprocessing system. In this case, node B 422 is affected, but node A 420and the cluster 424 are not affected.

Next, one affected node is selected and all its affected servers areoptionally quiesced (step 902). Quiescing a server involves preventing aserver from receiving more work, though quiesced data processing systemswithin the node remain temporarily active and can complete currentlypending tasks. In the illustrative example, data processing system 410is quiesced. In other processes, additional data processing systems orall data processing systems may be quiesced simultaneously.

Subsequently, all affected data processing systems in the node arestopped (step 904). In the illustrative example, data processing system5 410 is stopped. Next, a sync node command is issued to the affectednode B 422 so that all affected data processing systems in the node aresynchronized and the updates are deployed to the affected dataprocessing systems (step 906).

In addition, a configuration script may optionally be provided with theenterprise application to configure external resources required by theenterprise application at this time. The configuration script mayperform configuration actions relating to the operating system, such asto copy files, create or clean directories, and to perform otherfunctions related to other programs, such as creating message queuingtables or JDBC data sources. Such actions may extend beyond the affecteddata processing systems. Other activities and checks also may beperformed on the affected data processing systems at this time.

In an illustrated example, an enterprise application updates applicationD 418 on data processing system 410. Enterprise applications or updatesare deployed to all affected data processing system in a nodesimultaneously. In other processes, enterprise applications or updatesare deployed to affected data processing systems sequentially.

After all enterprise applications have been deployed, the deploymentsystem starts all affected data processing systems (step 908).Thereafter, the affected servers are reactivated, if they had beenquiesced (step 910). Reactivating a server means that it will accept andprocess work requests for its applications.

After activating all servers on the affected node, the deployment systemdetermines whether any other affected nodes remain (step 912). Ifaffected nodes remain, then the process returns to step 900 in order toprocess the next affected node. If no affected nodes remain, then theprocess proceeds to finalize deployment (step 506 in FIG. 5). In theillustrated example, no affected nodes remain, so the process continuesto finalize deployment.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 9, the entire process is performedautomatically. However, the process may also allow manual confirmations.In this case, the deployment system will deploy an enterpriseapplication to one data processing system, validate the deployment, andthen pause. The deployment system then displays the result to the user.The deployment system then prompts the user for input as to whether toproceed with installing an enterprise application on the next server, toreverse the deployment, or to terminate the entire process. Thedeployment system repeats this process for every data processing systemaffected by an enterprise application deployment. Typically, the defaultresponse at each stage is to proceed with deployment of the next system.On the other hand, the default response may be to suspend deployment ofenterprise applications or to stop the process altogether.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the steps taken during the finalizedeployment step 506 of FIG. 5, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent invention. After an enterprise application has been deployed toa data processing system, the deployment system post validates thedeployment of the enterprise application (step 1000). The deploymentsystem validates the deployment of an enterprise application by checkingfor whether the new or updated application responds appropriately to astimulus. For example, the deployment system may provide input to aweb-based application in order to check that the application respondsand that the application transmits the appropriate contents.

Once a deployment has been validated, the deployment system determineswhether the deployment was successful (step 1002). If successful, thenthe new or updated deployed enterprise applications are moved from thedistribution directory into a released directory (step 1004), with theprocess terminating thereafter. Thus, the successful enterpriseapplication or update may be audited, rolled-back, recovered, orotherwise tracked.

Returning to step 1002, if the deployment is not successful, then adetermination is made as to whether it is possible to restore theoriginal enterprise application (step 1006). If an original enterpriseapplication exists and can be restored, then the deployment systemrestores the original enterprise application (step 1008). If theoriginal enterprise application was restored in step 1008, then thefailure is recorded in the failure repository (step 1010). Similarly, ifan original enterprise application does not exist or cannot be restored,then the deployment system places the failed deployment into the failurerepository (step 1010). The failure repository may contain the entireenterprise application, even though it failed to install or be updated.The failure repository may also contain a log containing data regardingwhen the deployment failed, any error codes, and the like. Thereafter,the deployment process terminates.

Alternatively, or in addition to, the process shown in FIG. 10, thedeployment system may display the results of a deployment or may prompta user for input. Thus, the user may manually verify that a deploymenthas been performed correctly and successfully. In any case, after adeployment has been completed, the newly deployed enterprise applicationis available for use.

FIGS. 11A through 11F show an example of the output logs for computerinstructions for performing the method illustrated in FIG. 5, inaccordance with an aspect of the present invention. The computerinstruction logs on each page flow from the preceding page, beginningwith the instruction logs shown on FIG. 11A and ending with theinstruction logs shown on FIG. 11F. The computer instruction logs ofFIGS. 11A through 11F show only one method of performing the steps shownin FIG. 5. The steps may be performed using different code and the stepsmay be expanded upon by supplying additional code.

Thus, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computerprogram product for automatically deploying enterprise applications orupdates to one or more affected data processing systems operating in acomplex data processing environment. When automated enterprisedeployment is invoked, a deployment system searches available enterpriseapplications in a dynamic distribution directory and selects enterpriseapplications or updates to be deployed to target data processingsystems. The deployment system then prepares for deployment of theapplications by reading all identifying indicia and pre-validatingenterprise applications to be deployed. After deploying the enterpriseapplications, the deployment system post-validates each deployment.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinationsof special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposesof illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention, the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of deploying at least one enterpriseapplication to one or more data processing systems, the methodcomprising a computer implementing the steps of: storing a plurality ofenterprise applications in a dynamic distribution directory with atleast one data record containing identifying indicia about eachenterprise application, the identifying indicia including stageinformation specifying a particular time when each enterpriseapplication should be deployed, target information specifying which dataprocessing systems should receive each enterprise application, whichdata processing systems should be affected during deployment, and alsoan expected response from a target data processing system, settingsinformation specifying how to configure each enterprise application onthe target data processing system, resource information specifyinginformation regarding external resources that must be setup for eachenterprise application on the target data processing system,configuration information specifying a manipulation of applicationserver configurations, and prerequisite information specifying at leastone of required external programs, a version of required externalprograms, and a service level of required external programs; selecting asubset of the plurality of enterprise applications stored in the dynamicdistribution directory for deployment based on at least two identifyingindicia selected from the group consisting of stage information, targetinformation, settings information, resource information, configurationinformation, and prerequisite information in each enterprise applicationof the subset of enterprise applications stored in the dynamicdistribution directory, wherein at least one of the identifying indiciaused in said selecting of the subset of enterprise applications isselected from a group consisting of resource information andprerequisite information in each enterprise application; identifyingtarget data processing systems by reading target information for each ofthe selected subset of enterprise applications; pre-validating eachtarget data processing system before deploying the subset of enterpriseapplications, wherein pre-validating involves checking whetherdeployment to each target data processing system has an acceptablechance of success; reading the settings information for each of theselected subset of enterprise applications upon determining at least oneof the target data processing systems has the acceptable chance ofsuccess; installing the selected subset of enterprise applications intoa distribution repository with updated target information based on thepre-validation and reading of the settings information; and deployingthe selected subset of enterprise applications onto each of thecorresponding pre-validated target data processing systems.
 2. Anon-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readableprogram code embodied therein, the computer readable program code, whenexecuted on a computer, causes the computer to perform: storing aplurality of enterprise application in a dynamic distribution directorywith at least one data record containing identifying indicia about eachenterprise application, the identifying indicia including stageinformation specifying a particular time when each enterpriseapplication should be deployed, target information specifying which dataprocessing systems should receive each enterprise application, whichdata processing systems should be affected during deployment, and alsoan expected response from a target data processing system, settingsinformation specifying how to configure each enterprise application onthe target data processing system, resource information specifyinginformation regarding external resources that must be setup for eachenterprise application on the target data processing system,configuration information specifying a manipulation of applicationserver configurations, and prerequisite information specifying at leastone of required external programs, a version of required externalprograms, and a service level of required external programs; selecting asubset of enterprise applications stored in the dynamic distributiondirectory for deployment based on at least two identifying indiciaselected from the group consisting of stage information, targetinformation, settings information, resource information, configurationinformation, and prerequisite information in each enterprise applicationof the subset of enterprise applications stored in the dynamicdistribution directory, wherein at least one of the identifying indiciaused in said selecting of the subset of enterprise applications isselected from a group consisting of resource information andprerequisite information in each enterprise application; identifyingtarget data processing systems by reading target information for each ofthe selected subset of enterprise applications; pre-validating eachtarget data processing system before deploying the subset of enterpriseapplications, wherein pre-validating involves checking whetherdeployment to each target data processing system has an acceptablechance of success; reading the settings information for each of theselected subset of enterprise applications upon determining at least oneof the target data processing systems has the acceptable chance ofsuccess; installing the selected subset of enterprise applications intoa distribution repository with updated target information based on thepre validation and reading the settings information; and deploying theselected subset of enterprise applications onto each of thecorresponding pre-validated target data processing systems.
 3. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the stageinformation further specifies where each enterprise application shouldbe deployed, including specifying a certain an operating system,specifying a particular application version, specifying a particularsubset of data processing systems within a set of data processingsystems, specifying a corporate department owning a subset of dataprocessing systems, and specifying a physical location of a subset ofdata processing systems within a set of data processing systems.
 4. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the settingsinformation comprises information selected from the group consisting of:information specifying which external resources on a data processingsystem are configured when deploying each enterprise application;information specifying which external prerequisites are required beforedeploying each enterprise application; information specifying whichapplications are required before deploying each enterprise application;information specifying which version of an application is requiredbefore deploying each enterprise application; and combinations thereof.5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein: thesettings information comprises information specifying configurationsettings for a corresponding enterprise application.
 6. A dataprocessing system: comprising: a bus; a memory operably connected to thebus; a processor unit operably connected to the bus; a computer programproduct in the memory for deploying enterprise applications, thecomputer program product comprising: a non-transitory computer readablestorage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein,the computer readable program code, when executed on a computer, causesthe computer to perform: storing a plurality of enterprise applicationin a dynamic distribution directory with at least one data recordcontaining identifying indicia about each enterprise application, theidentifying indicia including stage information specifying a particulartime when the each enterprise application should be deployed, targetinformation specifying which data processing systems should receive eachenterprise application, which data processing systems should be affectedduring deployment, and also an expected response from a target dataprocessing system, settings information specifying how to configure eachenterprise application on the target data processing system, resourceinformation specifying information regarding external resources thatmust be setup for each enterprise application on the target dataprocessing system, configuration information specifying a manipulationof application server configurations, and prerequisite informationspecifying at least one of required external programs, a version ofrequired external programs, and a service level of required externalprograms; selecting a subset of enterprise applications stored in thedynamic distribution directory for deployment based on at least twoidentifying indicia selected from the group consisting of stageinformation, target information, settings information, resourceinformation, configuration information, and prerequisite information ineach enterprise application of the subset of enterprise applicationsstored in the dynamic distribution directory, wherein at least one ofthe identifying indicia used in said selecting of the subset ofenterprise applications is selected from a group consisting of resourceinformation and prerequisite information in each enterprise application;identifying target data processing systems by reading target informationfor each of the selected subset of enterprise applications;pre-validating each target data processing system before deploying thesubset of enterprise applications, wherein pre-validating involveschecking whether deployment to each target data processing system has anacceptable chance of success; reading the settings information for eachof the selected subset of enterprise applications upon determining atleast one of the target data processing systems has the acceptablechance of success; installing the selected subset of enterpriseapplications into a distribution repository with updated targetinformation based on the pre-validation and reading of the settingsinformation; and deploying the selected subset of enterpriseapplications onto each of the corresponding pre-validated target dataprocessing systems.
 7. The data processing system of claim 6, whereinthe stage information further specifies where each enterpriseapplication should be deployed, including specifying a certain anoperating system, specifying a particular application version,specifying a particular subset of data processing systems within a setof data processing systems, specifying a corporate department owning asubset of data processing systems, and specifying a physical location ofa subset of data processing systems within a set of data processingsystems.
 8. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein the settingsinformation comprises information selected from the group consisting of:information specifying which external resources on a data processingsystem are configured when deploying each enterprise application;information specifying which external prerequisites are required beforedeploying each enterprise application; information specifying whichapplications are required before deploying each enterprise application;information specifying which version of an application is requiredbefore deploying each enterprise application; and combinations thereof.9. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein: the settingsinformation comprises information specifying configuration settings fora corresponding enterprise application.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein pre-validating involves checking whether deployment to eachtarget data processing system has the acceptable chance of successcomprises at least one of checking whether each target data processingsystem exists, validating contents of each of the selected subset ofenterprise applications, validating whether a deployment action ispreformed, and determining whether a set of pre-defined prerequisitesare met.
 11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2, whereinthe computer readable program code for pre-validating involves checkingwhether deployment to each target data processing system has theacceptable chance of success comprises computer readable program codefor at least one of checking whether each target data processing systemexists, validating contents of each of the selected subset of enterpriseapplications, validating whether a deployment action is preformed, anddetermining whether a set of pre-defined prerequisites are met.
 12. Thedata processing system of claim 6, wherein the computer readable programcode for pre-validating involves checking whether deployment to eachtarget data processing system has the acceptable chance of successcomprises computer readable program code for at least one of checkingwhether each target data processing system exists, validating contentsof each of the selected subset of enterprise applications, validatingwhether a deployment action is preformed, and determining whether a setof pre-defined prerequisites are met.